Chef John's Beurre Blanc

Although beurre blanc purists would object to the bit of cream in this classic sauce, it does help create a more stable base, enhances the flavor, and makes an even more beautiful color than when made without. Have all the ingredients measured and handy before starting as this sauce comes together rather quickly.

Directions

Step
1

Place wine, lemon juice, cream, shallots, and cream in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer until liquid is reduced by about 75%, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and whisk in about 2 cubes of butter. Keep butter moving until it melts. When melted, add a few more cubes, whisking continuously so butter emulsifies into the wine/lemon juice mixture.

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Step
2

Continue to add butter, a few cubes at a time until all of it has been incorporated and the sauce has a thick, luxurious texture, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste for seasonings and add a pinch of salt and cayenne, if desired. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes:

If you're making the sauce ahead of time, it must be kept warm. If it cools and you try to reheat it, the emulsification of the sauce will break.

Reviews(25)

Most helpful positive review

Added some lobster at the end and put it over homemade crab ravioli. An amazingly simple and decadent sauce and the whole family raved!

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Helpful

(6)

Most helpful critical review

Anonymous

Rating: 3 stars

04/15/2019

The addition of cream helps stabilize the sauce, but it also makes this extremely rich. That might be desirable for a special occasion serving something indulgent but not too fatty itself (lobster or tuna maybe). However, for most purposes I'd prefer a classic beurre blanc without the cream. It was good but slightly too much for weeknight salmon and green beans, hah.
Also, choose your wine wisely. Be sure to use something very dry. I used some leftover pinot grigio and the finished sauce was a bit too sweet.

Fantastic! Simple and delicious. I've made the sauce a couple of times and it was a100% hit each time. I like a tangy flavor so I added some capers and fresh lemon zest. Those made great additions too. This is a winner!

I made this with lemon juice using regular whipping cream because that s what I had. It was great. I think the heavy cream would have been slightly better but it was still beautifully elegant and delicious. I served it with chicken made in a traditional Wiener schnitzel style. We could have licked the plate.

I watched the video (which was very helpful) and followed the recipe to a "T". I placed the sauce over haddock and it was delicious!I The second time I made it I added a clove of garlic to the mix (preference only) and really enjoyed it. I was not sure if I would like the cayenne pepper but it really brought everything together. I have a small "Little Dipper" Crock Pot that I use for keeping sauces warm so after I made this I added it to the Crock Pot and the sauce remained nice and warm over dinner. Thank you Chef John!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Fantastic! Simple and delicious. I've made the sauce a couple of times and it was a100% hit each time. I like a tangy flavor so I added some capers and fresh lemon zest. Those made great additions too. This is a winner!

I made this with lemon juice using regular whipping cream because that s what I had. It was great. I think the heavy cream would have been slightly better but it was still beautifully elegant and delicious. I served it with chicken made in a traditional Wiener schnitzel style. We could have licked the plate.

I watched the video (which was very helpful) and followed the recipe to a "T". I placed the sauce over haddock and it was delicious!I The second time I made it I added a clove of garlic to the mix (preference only) and really enjoyed it. I was not sure if I would like the cayenne pepper but it really brought everything together. I have a small "Little Dipper" Crock Pot that I use for keeping sauces warm so after I made this I added it to the Crock Pot and the sauce remained nice and warm over dinner. Thank you Chef John!

The addition of cream helps stabilize the sauce, but it also makes this extremely rich. That might be desirable for a special occasion serving something indulgent but not too fatty itself (lobster or tuna maybe). However, for most purposes I'd prefer a classic beurre blanc without the cream. It was good but slightly too much for weeknight salmon and green beans, hah.
Also, choose your wine wisely. Be sure to use something very dry. I used some leftover pinot grigio and the finished sauce was a bit too sweet.